Periphery seal rotary feeder



May 12, 1959 s. T. TRANSEAU PERIPHERY SEAL ROTARY FEEDER Filed Aug. 22, 1957 INVENTOR SHER MANTTRHNSEW Km ATTORNEY United States P3116111:

PERIPHERY SEAL ROTARY FEEDER Sherman T. Transeau, Riverside, NJ.

Application August 22, 1957, Serial No. 679,689

7 Claims. (Cl. 214-35) This invention relates generally to means for sealing a wall opening that has a revoluble member extending therethrough, and more particularly to an improved peripheral seal intervening the rotor and rotor mounting body of a rotary feeder.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide for such a seal improved means for taking up wear and thereby materially prolonging the effective life of the seal.

Another principal object of the present invention is to provide such improved take up means without making it diflicult to disassemble and reassemble the feeder, as when the latter needs to be cleaned.

And another principal object of the present invention is to provide such a seal with a plurality of sealing parts stacked one upon the other in a seal receiving or housing channel and which is made effective for the purpose intended by sealing pressure manually applied to the top of the stack through the open top or mouth of the channel aforesaid.

Still further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear more fully hereinafter, it being understood that the invention consists substantially in the combination, construction, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as described in detail hereinafter, as shown in the accompanying drawings and as finally pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is an elevation, partially in section, of a rotary feeder constructed in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section on line 22 of Figure l.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary radial transverse section through the peripheral seal assembly.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary radial transverse section through a modified form of the peripheral seal assembly.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be observed that the present invention is embodied in a rotary feeder which comprises essentially a hollow cylindrical body member or main housing A, a pair of end closure members B-,B that are disposed respectively on opposite sides of the body A, a rotor member C fitted in the housing A between the end plates BB, and a pair of peripheral seal assemblies DD extending annularly about the rotor C respectively adjacent the end plates BB.

The main body or housing member A is elongated in form and is provided externally at opposite ends thereof with a pair of annular bolting flanges 10, respectively defining the inlet and discharge openings for the bulk material passed through the feeder. Opposite side wall areas 1111 of the body member A are centrally bored, as at 12'12, and removably secured respectively to flanged cylindrical formations extending outwardly in opposite directionsfrom these wall areas, as by bolts 13, are the end plates or closure members BB. Suitably journalled centrally in the end plates B-B is a shaft 14, which shaft has fitted thereon the rotor C. The latter, which is rotatable within the body member A, has a central hub 15, a pair of axially spaced radially extending web's 1616 that peripherally terminate in oppositely extending coaxial rims 1717, and a plurality of radially extending circumferentially spaced pocket-forming vanes 18 that intervene the webs 16-16.

Referring particularly to Figure 3, it will be noted that each of the coaxial rims 17-17 of the rotor C is embraced by an annular recess that is formed in the internal wall of the concentric bore 12 of the stationary body part A, which recess is provided with a cylindrical surface 19 that extends into the wall area 11 and which is disposed in concentric radially spaced relation to the rim 17, terminating in a radially extending surface 20 disposed proximate the inner edge of the rim 17. The inner portion of the rim 17 is closely revolubly fitted into the wall area underlying the radially extending surface 20 aforesaid.

Extending about the rotor C is an annular groove that is formed in the face of the rim 17, which groove is provided with a cylindrical surface 21, terminating on opposite sides of the rim respectively in radially extending surfaces 22-22. This annular groove is positioned in opposed relation to the annular recess aforesaid and conjointly with the latter forms an annular channel, designated 23, for receiving and housing a peripheral seal assembly D.

The peripheral seal assembly housed in the channel 23 includes a sealing strip 24 that extends about the rim 17 and which fully occupies andis cemented into the annular groove formed in the latter. Within the recess that is formed in the wall area 11 and closely embracing the sealing strip 24 is an annular sealing element 25 that is cemented to the radially extending recess surface 20. Close adjacent the annular sealing element 25 and disposed in concentric radially spaced relation to the sealing strip 24 is a sealing strip 26 that is cemented to the cylindrical recess surface 19.

Occupying the mouth of the annular seal housing channel 23 is a pressure shoe in the form of a follower ring 27 and an anular sealing element 28 that is cemented to the inner face of the follower ring 27. Nested within and fully occupying the annular space that is defined by the concentrically disposed radially spaced sealing strips 24 and 26 and the axially spaced annular sealing elements 25 and 28 are a set of three floating sealing rings 29 that are of rectangular shape in radial transverse section and disposed in side abutting relation to one another and to the annular sealing elements 25 and 28.

The sealing strips 24 and 26 and the annular sealing elements 25, 28 and 29 are all preferably made of the same material which material has a low coefiicient of friction, such as Teflon, a product of E. I. duPont de Nemours & Co., Wilmingtom'Delaware. However, neoprene, asbestos, rawhide and even other materials may be found satisfactory, depending upon the operating conditions to be met.

For applying the requisite sealing pressure to the sealing assembly D, a plurality of screws 30 are threaded through the end plate or closure B and brought to bear upon equally circumferentially spaced portions of the follower ring 27. This pressure is transmitted to the stacked annular sealing elements 25, 28 and 29 to thereby axially compress the same into effective sealing engagement with one another, and to thereby radially expand the several sealing rings 29 into effective sealing engagement with the sealing strips 24 and 26.

i In the operation of the rotary feeder, sealing strip 24 rotates with the rotor rim 17 the annular sealing element 25 and the sealing strip 26 remain stationary with the body member A, and the annular sealing element 28 I6 mains stationary with :the follower ring 27. The several sealing .rings 29 may move with the rotor .rim 17 or remain stationary with the body member A. As the several sealing parts wear, the pressure upon the follower ring 27 is increased manually through the medium of the screws 30, whereupon the follower ring is shifted axially farther into the channel 23, thereby taking up the wear.

Obviously, the rotary-feeder is adapted to be bolted into a conduit for controlled feeding of various bulk material. The rate of material flow is controlled by varying the speed of rotation of the rotor C, and leakage of the :ma terial and/ or pressure laterally between the rotor C and the stationary 'body A is effectively prevented by the peripheral seal assemblies DD.

Now referring particularly to Figure '4, in a modified form of .the present invention, the peripheral seal assembly is housed within an annular channel 31 that 'is formed by simply providing the stator wall .area 11 with a recess which extends thereinto and about the rotor rim 17. Overlying the base wall of the channel, designated 32, are aset of two annular sealing elements 33--33 of felt or like material and two annular sealing elemens 3434 of metal, Teflon or other material having a low coeflicient of friction that are alternately arranged and stacked in side abutting relation to one another, with one of the sealing elements 33 seated against the base wall 32. Slidably fitted between the inner and outer side walls, respectively designated 35 and 36, of the seal housing channel 31 is a follower ring 37, and underlying the latteris an annular :sealing element 38 of metal, Teflon or other'material having a low coefficient of friction. Intervening the stacked sealing elements aforesaid and the sealing element 38 are a set of preferably four floating sealing rings including a pair of axially spaced sealing rings '39 and 40 and a second pair ofsealing rings 41 and 42, the latter pair being disposed one within the other andbetween the axially spaced sealing rings 39 and 40. While. the rings 39 to 42 are preferably formed of Teflon or other such material of low coeflicient of friction, in certain cases the rings '39 and 40 may be formed of metal or other material, the important desideratum being that said latter rings, which are relatively free floating in the sealing ring assembly, serve to compress the rings 41 and 42 respectively into sealing engagement with theproximate surfaces of the stator A and the rotor C, while atthe same time forming a tight and effective seal between all four rings 39 to 42 of the sealingring -assembly.

Theopposed. faces of the sealing rings 39' and 40 are each provided with apair of circumferentially extending surface areas that taper axially in opposite directions, and the opposed faces of the sealing rings 41 and 42 are each provided with a pair of circumferentially extending surface areas that taper axially in opposite directions. The. angles of taper of the several surface areas aforesaid are complementary, in consequence of which in the assembled condition of' the sealing rings, opposed tapering surface areas are fully engaged, as shown.

Preferably, the annular sealing elements 3333 are made'of felt, the annular sealing elements 3434 and 38 are made of stainless steel, and the sealing rings 39, 40, 41 and 42 are made of Teflon.

Sealing pressure is applied to the peripheral seal assembly, generally designated E, in the manner described hereinbefore, through the medium of a plurality of screws 30 that bear upon the follower ring 37, in consequence of which the sealing rings 39 and 40 are firmly wedged between the interveningsealing rings 41 and 42, the tapering surface areas of the sealing rings 39 and 40 being pressed thereby into firm, sealing engagement respectively with the complementally tapering surface areas of the sealing rings 41 and 42 The Wedging action circumferentially compresses and thereby radially contracts the sealing ring 41 into firm, sealing engagement with the channel inner side wall and simultaneously circumferentially tensions and radially expands the sealing ring 42 into firm, sealing engagement with the channel outer side wall 36.

In the operation of the rotary feeder, each of the several components of the peripheral seal assembly E, i.e., sealing elements 3333, 3434 and 38, and sealing rings 39 through 42, is free to rotate with the rotor member C or to remain stationary with the body member A. All of the sealing elements and rings aforesaid .are free to float axially when pressure is applied to the follower ring 37 to take up wear.

It will be understood, of course, that the present invention as hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying drawings is susceptible of various changes and modifications which may be made from time to time without departing from the general principles or real spirit of the invention, and accordingly it is intended to claim the same broadly, as well .as specifically, as indicated by the appended claims.

What -is;claimed as new and useful is:

1. In combination with :a unit having an elongated hollow body member adapted for passage of material freely itherethrough, a member fitted into an apertured side wall area of said body member intermediate the opposite endportions of the latter and revolub'le about an axis extending across said body member, and a cy1indrical formation extending outwardly from said :apertured 'wall :area in embracing radially spaced relation to said revoluble mem'ber to thereby provide conjointly with said apertured wall area and revoluble member a seal housing channel having an annular mouth facing outwardly from said apertured wall area, sealing means including a plurality of annuli stacked one upon another withinsaid seal housing channel, and means operable externally of said :sealhousing channelfor applying pressure upon said stacked annuli through the annular channel mouth aforesaid to thereby press the same one upon the other and against the bottom of said channel, and simultaneously to radially expand the same for engaging the opposite sides of said channel, whereby .said aperture is effectively sealed against the passage of material .or pressure.

2. The combinationas defined in claim 1 wherein the pressure applying means includes an annulus occupying the mouth of the seal housing channel and'wherein the opposite side and base walls of said channel and the inner face of said annulus are lined with material having a low coefficient of friction and which material fully encases the stacked .annuli, the latter being also ofa material having a low coeflicient of friction and being free to rotate relatively to the material encasing the same.

3. The combination .as defined in claim 1 wherein the pressure applying means includes an annulus occupying the mouth of the seal housing channel, the outer-side and the bottom of the seal housing channel are lined with material fixed relative to said-body member, the inner side of said seal housingchannel is lined with material fixed relative to the revoluble member, the underside of said annulus is lined with material fixed'to said annulus, the stacked annuli 'are 'conjointly operative-to fullyoccupy the annu-larspace within said lining and said lining is operative to closelyfully encase said stacked annuli, said annulus and the lining material fixed'thereto are fitted between the line opposite sides of said channel for shifting movement therebetween, and said linning and stacked annuli are all made of material, having a low coefficient of friction.

4. In a rotary feeder unit, in combination, an outer main body. member, an internal rotor having axially spaced rim portions respectively revolubly fitted into axially alined cylindrical bores formed in opposite sides'of said body member, a pair ofannular recesses respectively formed in saidfbores and disposed in concentric embracing radially spaced relation respectively to said rim portions to conjointly provide with the latter a pair of annular channels having open ends presenting outwardly of the unit, a pair of follower rings respectively fitted in the open ends of said channels, a pair of closure members fixed respectively over the outer ends of said cylindrical formations, a pair of peripheral seal assemblies disposed respectively in said channels, each including sealing material adhesively secured to said body member and fully lining the outer side and bottom surfaces of the associated channel, sealing material adhesively secured to the rotor member and fully lining the inner surface of said channel, sealing material adhesively secured to the follower ring and fully lining the inner face thereof, a plurality of identical annuli stacked within and fully encased by said linning, the follower ring and the lining material fixed thereto being fitted between the line opposite sides of the channel for shifting movement therebetween, said lining and stacked annuli being all formed of a material having a low coefiicient of friction, and means carried by the closure member and operable for respectively bearing upon circumferentially equally spaced portions of said follower ring with more or less force for bringing pressure to bear upon said stacked annuli through the medium of said follower ring.

5. In combination, an outer main hollow body member adapted for passage of material therethrough, an internal rotor revolubly fitted in said main body member adapted to successively pass limited quantities of bulk material through said body member, an annular formation extending outwardly from a side wall of said body member in embracing radially spaced relation to said revoluble member to thereby provide conjointly with the later an annular channel having an outwardly presenting open end, sealing means including a plurality of annular sealing elements within said seal channel, said sealing elements being made of the same low friction material, certain of said sealing elements being disposed in paired axially spaced relation and others being disposed in radially spaced relation between the pairs of axially spaced elements, one of the sealing elements of each successive axially spaced pair thereof being slidably engaged with both sealing elements of the intervening radially spaced pair thereof continuously throughout the full distance about the same, and means operable externally of said seal channel including an annulus occupying the mouth of the seal housing channel for applying pressure upon said sealing elements to thereby wedge successive axially spaced pairs thereof toward each other between the intervening pair of radially spaced sealing elements, whereby the latter are radially spread into sealing engagement respectively with the opposite sides of said channel, the

same being shiftable within said channel under the influence of said pressure.

6. In combination, an outer main hollow body member adapted for passage of material therethrough, an internal rotor revolubly fitted in said main body member adapted to successively pass limited quantities of bulk material through said body member, an annular formation extending outwardly from a side wall of said body member in embracing radially spaced relation to said revoluble member to thereby provide conjointly with the latter an annular seal channel having an outwardly presenting open end, sealing means including a plurality of annular sealing elements within said seal channel, said sealing elements being made of the same low friction material, certain of said sealing elements being disposed in paired axially spaced relation and others being disposed in radially spaced relation, the sealing elements of each axially spaced pair being slidably engaged with one another continuously throughout the full distance about the same, and means operable externally of said seal channel including an annulus occupying the mouth of the seal housing channel for applying pressure upon said sealing elements to thereby press the same together for spreading certain thereof radially into sealing engagement with the opposite sides of said channel, said axially spaced sealing elements being shiftable within said channel under the influence of said pressure.

7. In combination with a unit having an elongated hollow body member adapted for passage of material freely therethrough, a member fitted into an apertured side wall area of said body member intermediate the opposite end portions of the latter and revoluble about an axis extending across said body member, and a cylindrical formation extending outwardly from said apertured wall area in embracing radially spaced relation to said revoluble member to thereby provide conjointly with said apertured wall area and revoluble member a seal housing channel having an annular mouth facing outwardly from said apertured wall area, sealing means including a plurality of annuli stacked within said seal housing channel, a low friction lining facing the bottom wall of said channel, and means for applying pressure upon said annuli through the annular channel mouth to thereby press the same one upon the other and against the channel bottom, and simultaneously .to radially expand the same whereby said apertured wall area is effectively sealed against the passage of material or pressure.

Germany Feb. 18, 1939 Germany July 23, 1951 

